Ive had enough with my a05 and it doing coasters on cheaper media so i think i'll get rid of it and get one of the sony drives. But first i want to know what its like with cheap media (like bulkpaq or datawrite yellows) Also has anyone had any trouble with it using the Datawrite classic 2x (the grey tops) and the new Ritek 4x discs? Thanks

I had minor issues with this drive... it started well then fell don around my ears coasters and lots of them. Couldnt be ar$ed to rma it so I flashed it to make it a DRU500A with hacked FW. Then I upgraded that to the latedst 10g firmware and ever since I've not had 1 single problem. I temp had it burning 4x media @ 2x but then I believe that was a niggle with Record Now Max. Since then no probs. Burned gen 3 ritek @ 2x which is something it could never do as a DW-U10A.
I believe I saw somewhere that A mail order firm (Lynx I THINK) provides the drives ready flashed as a DRU500A to save you the trouble.
Worth thinking about.
As the DRU is a retail drive I expect to see more support by the way of firmware than I do for the DW U10A which I'm sure you know is proovided as an OEM drive.
Well worth taking this into account m8

Dan

burned 2 dvd's and 1 cd then drive wouldn't read any form of dvd.
Returned to sender and waiting on replacement, don't let this put you off though.

using datawrite yellows at the moment burned about 30 - 40 so far a not a coaster yet

Using bulkpaq gen 4 2x (green) - 25 so for and no coasters

Initially had a few coasters with the 10A.
Flashed the firmware up to a 500A issue g and now works fine, even with some low quality disks. Excellent drive

johntin: I now have the same problem. The drive will not recognise any form of DVD's. will read CD's. What did your supplier say when u phoned them? you got yours from Mesh! I suppose you had to send them the drive back and for them to test before they will send you out a new one?
Danman: How do you flash it to make it a 500A? And where did you get your hacked FW?

yeh thats what i want to know too.
msn - thesnakeuk@hotmail.com

larger email account - thesnakecobra@yahoo.co.uk

Tried both e-mail accounts snake
Both bounced back.... I'm not on MSN at the mo either as it's playing me up.

Try a look around http://forum.firmware-flash.com
Pleenty of direct links there.
There are no proggies or serials or apps etc on this site- it's legit.

links not working m8...

Yeah, the whole site is down at the mo. If you have anything other than Hotmail or yahoo whih will accept files of 2MB LMK and I'll send you direct.

Site is back up and running.
Just downloaded hacked firmware from a link on the above site, just in case i decide to flash my sony when i get it back.

I got a firmware update from Mesh. Updated but still not working. The update was 111c. I have contacted them again. Waiting for them to get in touch. If i flash using the hacked firmware can i then flash it back to the 111c?

Danman, can you email me the fw. I think my email on this is set up to accept emails. thanks in advance.